Monticello man accused murdering roommate over cat dispute: Charges

MONTICELLO, MInn. (FOX 9) - A man is accused of killing his sister's boyfriend inside their shared Monticello home after a dispute over a cat turned deadly.

Monticello homicide investigation

What we know:

Steven Ralph Stahlberg, 47, is facing two counts of second-degree murder after authorities say he shot and killed Daniel Lawrence Ferdelman inside their shared home in Monticello.

According to charges filed in the case, authorities say a woman called 911 at 7:27 a.m. on Sept. 3 to report that she had come home from work to find her boyfriend, Ferdelman, lying in bed covered in blood. Ferdelman, 57, was found face up on the bed, dead, with a large amount of blood on him and the bed, and small blood spatter on the walls.

The complaint states the woman, Ferdelman and Stahlberg — her brother — all lived at the residence together. According to court documents, the trouble started earlier that night over the household's new cat. Ferdelman called the woman at her workplace at around 12:15 a.m. and told her that Stahlberg had taken the cat into his room and barricaded himself inside. When Ferdelman asked Stahlberg to bring the cat out, Stahlberg eventually complied — but then pushed Ferdelman. Ferdelman pushed back. Stahlberg, who Ferdelman described as drunk and belligerent, then grabbed the cat, went back into his room and barricaded himself again.

The complaint states Ferdelman told the woman that if Stahlberg pushed or hit him again, someone was going to get hurt. The woman later told investigators she received a second call from Ferdelman between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., saying Stahlberg had barged into his room and a physical fight had broken out. She told deputies that she knew Stahlberg was intoxicated, and feared another fight would not end well.

Surveillance footage from a nearby property captured a male getting into a pickup truck parked at the residence and leaving at 1:18 a.m. The truck was consistent with Stahlberg's Toyota Tundra, which was no longer at the residence when authorities arrived.

Capture and evidence

What they're saying:

The complaint states the woman told investigators that if Stahlberg had killed Ferdelman, he was likely headed to their father's home in Remer, Minn., to kill him as well.

At around 9:45 a.m. on Sept. 3, Cass County Sheriff's Office deputies located Stahlberg's Toyota Tundra in Remer and took him into custody. A shotgun was found on the front passenger floorboard, hidden under a windshield sunshade. The shotgun contained shells loaded with rifled slugs and birdshot.

A medical examiner's examination found that Ferdelman died from a shotgun wound to the chest. The shot caused severe injury to his right lung and severed his aorta. Projectile fragments consistent with a plastic wad and a fragmented slug were recovered from his body. His death was ruled a homicide.

What we don't know:

It is not yet clear whether Stahlberg has entered a plea or retained legal representation.

Crime and Public SafetyMonticello